Earth and Space Science ESS1(5-8)POC-3 Explain how Earth events (abruptly and over time ) can bring about changes in Earth's surface: landforms, ocean floor, rock forms, or climate. ESS1(7-8) -3 Students demonstrate an understanding of processes and change over time within earth systems by... 3a) Evaluating slow processes e.g. seafloor spreading, mountain building to determine how the Earth has changed and will continue to change over time. 3b) Evaluating fast processes e.g. earthquakes to determine how the Earth has changed and will continue to change over time.
National Standards:
National Science Standard G
All students should develop understandinf of:
Science as a human endeavor.
Nature of science.
History of Science.
Context of Lesson:
This lesson is the second lesson for an eighth grade general science course whose topic is Plate Tectonics. It will answer the following questions posed to all my eight graders. Are you a scientist? What is a scientist? The lesson will reinforce to the students that the word scientist means a specific way of thinking and acting. These students will be exposed to the behaviors and frame of referencethat all scientists possess, and most of all, come to the understanding that they can, at this stage of their lives become members of the scientific community. To become a scientist all they need to do is Act and Think Like a Scientist. The lesson will eventually lead to the students understanding that a scientist way of life is centered on the 6 Components to Scientific Inquiry. Observation (Noticing anything interesting) Hypothesis Formulating a question, prediction and/or explanation about this observation. Planning Identifying what information/evidence that needs to be collected and where it can be found in order to answer the question, hypothesis, or prediction. Data Follow procedures to collect and record data using correct sources, equipment, and measurements. Thinking Analyzing data, to see if it is relevant and correct. Sharing Letting other scientists and others know about your discoveries because it may help them.
Opportunities to Learn
Depth of Knowledge
DOK Level 1 – Recall and Reproduction of: What a scientist is? What a scientist does? Bloom’s Taxonomy
Knowledge
Comprehension
NECAP All 13 Science Inquiry Constructs for all grade 8. Materials: Textbook Prepunched Index cards (5 Colors) with Science Key ring Overhead document listing 6 Components to Scientific Inquiry and their corresponding definitions.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Accommodations and modifications
Identify ahead of time any students who may need special physical accommodations in order to participate in class. E.g. Handicap access, hearing impaired.
Objectives:
Students will:
Describe what it takes to be a scientist. List common attributes found in all scientist. List six skills all scientists use in conducting scientific inquiry.
Create a new science tool - The Science Ring - The Earth From now on be considered scientists both in name and practice.
Instruction:
Opening:(7 minutes)
As the children enter the class I will welcome each child into my “Extremely Scientific Classroom” . I will ask all of the students to gather their chairs and join me in an open area of the classroom. While sitting down amongst them I will then Say - “this classroom will be the place where many different scientists will come together and do scientific work to help out the rest of the world. What do you think about that?” Do you remember last class? What did I say scientists do?
(answer = STOP and THINK.) The next 5 minutes will be discussion generated by the students about anything that can say about scientists. I will only participate to pose guiding questions, ask for examples, or keep them on topic.
Engagement: (35 minutes)
Activity 1 (10 minutes) What is a scientist? After the initial student directed discussion, I will ask if conversation has not already gone there: “Since we’re interested in scientists, can any one tell the class how we can determine what a scientist does?” I will ask any responders to go ahead and write their responses on a designated portion of the blackboard as a way to keep track of the things said. I will help them summarize when needed. Activity 2 (10 ) Let’s think about what we wrote. I will then lead the class into a discussion about the information on the board, focusing on key terms that may be linked to any of the Six components of scientific inquiry. I will mention that I have written down some ideas to share with them and hope that it will make their lives as scientists easier. Activity 3 ( 15minutes) Let’s Make a Our Second Science Tool (SCIENCE RING) I will tell them that they just conducted their first successful scientific inquiry together as a class and I will prove it to them. I will tell them that other students, teachers and extremely smart people (at least they think they're smart) have come up with six things that scientist do in order to figure out things that the notice. But I want them to help by creating their second science tool noting that their first tool is encased in a bony container on their shoulders. I will hand out six different colored index cards and one ring each to every student. Showing the first component of science inquiry (Observation) on the screen I will lead a discussion into our examining the statement that I predicted that there was going to be scientific activity in this class and you all thought that was very interesting statement. Does this match with #2 Hypotheses? I will then remind them they decided to figure out what a scientist does by listing all the things the class thinks a scientist does. Well does that match this #3 Planning? The Fourth here is listed as data. Did we collect data when we listed our scientist activities on the board? #5 is Thinking and # 6 is sharing. Did we do those? I will explain that what we did in class today was scientific inquiry. Since our model of what we did seems to work for us we will use it throughout the semester in class. So let’s create our first tool to help us in our future as scientists. I will them ask them to take the specially colored index card and Write in Capital letters OBSERVATION – NOTICING ANYTHING INTERESTING. On the back of that card they are to write their names in large letters. Why do you need to lead this. Can you have the students work in groups to define and give examples of each inquiry element? I will then review each of the remaining components of scientific inquiry and ask them to write each of the component with the corresponding definition on a differently colored index card specific to that topic. Observation (Noticing anything interesting) Hypothesis Formulating a question, prediction and/or explanation about this observation. Planning Identifying what information/evidence that needs to be collected and where it can be found in order to answer the question, hypothesis, or prediction. Data Follow procedures to collect and record data using correct sources, equipment, and measurements. Thinking Analyzing data, to see if it is relevant and correct. Sharing Letting other scientists and others know about your discoveries because it may help them. I will then ask them to write their name on a blank index card in large print and place it and the other six cards listing the six components to scientific inquiry onto a key Ring.
Closure
After Creating the SCIENCE RING I will inform them that their RING will be continuously updated by them with more and more helpful information color coded for their easy access. They will be creating a completed RING for each major topic in the class and will be assessed based on the completeness of each. They will always keep this original RING with updates to use as a template for creating new RINGS. They will then place their RINGS onto a pegboard. I will then say:"At the beginning of class I made a prediction that there was going to be some scientists doing real science activity. Well, was there some stopping and thinking going on. Well that proves me right.
Tomorrow we will begin some serious science in this class. We will use our new science ring tool to investigate the biggest thing in the world. Our WORLD.
Assessment:
Formative assessment - Probe for understanding during activity. Provide positive reinforcement for correct scientific behavior and redirection for non-productive behaviors. Summative assessment - Review Science Ring artifact for evidence of understanding.
Lesson Title: Are You A Scientist?
State Standards: GLEs/GSEs
R. I. GSEs Standards
Unifying Themes Of Science
- Scientific Theory
- Nature of Science
Earth and Space Science ESS1(5-8)POC-3 Explain how Earth events (abruptly and over time ) can bring about changes in Earth's surface: landforms, ocean floor, rock forms, or climate.ESS1(7-8) -3 Students demonstrate an understanding of processes and change over time within earth systems by...
3a) Evaluating slow processes e.g. seafloor spreading, mountain building to determine how the Earth has changed and will continue to change over time.
3b) Evaluating fast processes e.g. earthquakes to determine how the Earth has changed and will continue to change over time.
National Standards:
National Science Standard GAll students should develop understandinf of:
Context of Lesson:
This lesson is the second lesson for an eighth grade general science course whose topic is Plate Tectonics. It will answer the following questions posed to all my eight graders.Are you a scientist? What is a scientist?
The lesson will reinforce to the students that the word scientist means a specific way of thinking and acting. These students will be exposed to the behaviors and frame of referencethat all scientists possess, and most of all, come to the understanding that they can, at this stage of their lives become members of the scientific community.
To become a scientist all they need to do is Act and Think Like a Scientist.
The lesson will eventually lead to the students understanding that a scientist way of life is centered on the 6 Components to Scientific Inquiry.
Observation (Noticing anything interesting)
Hypothesis Formulating a question, prediction and/or explanation about this observation.
Planning Identifying what information/evidence that needs to be collected and where it can be found in order to answer the question, hypothesis, or prediction.
Data Follow procedures to collect and record data using correct sources, equipment, and measurements.
Thinking Analyzing data, to see if it is relevant and correct.
Sharing Letting other scientists and others know about your discoveries because it may help them.
Opportunities to Learn
Depth of Knowledge
DOK Level 1 – Recall and Reproduction of:What a scientist is?
What a scientist does?
Bloom’s Taxonomy
- Knowledge
- Comprehension
NECAPAll 13 Science Inquiry Constructs for all grade 8.
Materials:
Textbook
Prepunched Index cards (5 Colors) with Science Key ring
Overhead document listing 6 Components to Scientific Inquiry and their corresponding definitions.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Accommodations and modifications
Identify ahead of time any students who may need special physical accommodations in order to participate in class. E.g. Handicap access, hearing impaired.Objectives:
Students will:Describe what it takes to be a scientist.
List common attributes found in all scientist.
List six skills all scientists use in conducting scientific inquiry.
Create a new science tool - The Science Ring - The Earth
From now on be considered scientists both in name and practice.
Instruction:
Opening:(7 minutes)
As the children enter the class I will welcome each child into my “Extremely Scientific Classroom” . I will ask all of the students to gather their chairs and join me in an open area of the classroom.While sitting down amongst them I will then
Say - “this classroom will be the place where many different scientists will come together and do scientific work to help out the rest of the world. What do you think about that?” Do you remember last class? What did I say scientists do?
(answer = STOP and THINK.)
The next 5 minutes will be discussion generated by the students about anything that can say about scientists. I will only participate to pose guiding questions, ask for examples, or keep them on topic.
Engagement: (35 minutes)
Activity 1 (10 minutes) What is a scientist?After the initial student directed discussion, I will ask if conversation has not already gone there:
“Since we’re interested in scientists, can any one tell the class how we can determine what a scientist does?”
I will ask any responders to go ahead and write their responses on a designated portion of the blackboard as a way to keep track of the things said. I will help them summarize when needed.
Activity 2 (10 ) Let’s think about what we wrote.
I will then lead the class into a discussion about the information on the board, focusing on key terms that may be linked to any of the Six components of scientific inquiry. I will mention that I have written down some ideas to share with them and hope that it will make their lives as scientists easier.
Activity 3 ( 15minutes) Let’s Make a Our Second Science Tool (SCIENCE RING)
I will tell them that they just conducted their first successful scientific inquiry together as a class and I will prove it to them. I will tell them that other students, teachers and extremely smart people (at least they think they're smart) have come up with six things that scientist do in order to figure out things that the notice. But I want them to help by creating their second science tool noting that their first tool is encased in a bony container on their shoulders.
I will hand out six different colored index cards and one ring each to every student.
Showing the first component of science inquiry (Observation) on the screen I will lead a discussion into our examining the statement that I predicted that there was going to be scientific activity in this class and you all thought that was very interesting statement. Does this match with #2 Hypotheses?
I will then remind them they decided to figure out what a scientist does by listing all the things the class thinks a scientist does. Well does that match this #3 Planning?
The Fourth here is listed as data. Did we collect data when we listed our scientist activities on the board?
#5 is Thinking and # 6 is sharing. Did we do those?
I will explain that what we did in class today was scientific inquiry. Since our model of what we did seems to work for us we will use it throughout the semester in class. So let’s create our first tool to help us in our future as scientists.
I will them ask them to take the specially colored index card and Write in Capital letters OBSERVATION – NOTICING ANYTHING INTERESTING. On the back of that card they are to write their names in large letters.
Why do you need to lead this. Can you have the students work in groups to define and give examples of each inquiry element?
I will then review each of the remaining components of scientific inquiry and ask them to write each of the component with the corresponding definition on a differently colored index card specific to that topic.
Observation (Noticing anything interesting)
Hypothesis Formulating a question, prediction and/or explanation about this observation.
Planning Identifying what information/evidence that needs to be collected and where it can be found in order to answer the question, hypothesis, or prediction.
Data Follow procedures to collect and record data using correct sources, equipment, and measurements.
Thinking Analyzing data, to see if it is relevant and correct.
Sharing Letting other scientists and others know about your discoveries because it may help them.
I will then ask them to write their name on a blank index card in large print and place it and the other six cards listing the six components to scientific inquiry onto a key Ring.
Closure
After Creating the SCIENCE RING I will inform them that their RING will be continuously updated by them with more and more helpful information color coded for their easy access. They will be creating a completed RING for each major topic in the class and will be assessed based on the completeness of each. They will always keep this original RING with updates to use as a template for creating new RINGS. They will then place their RINGS onto a pegboard. I will then say:"At the beginning of class I made a prediction that there was going to be some scientists doing real science activity. Well, was there some stopping and thinking going on. Well that proves me right.
Tomorrow we will begin some serious science in this class. We will use our new science ring tool to investigate the biggest thing in the world. Our WORLD.
Assessment:
Formative assessment - Probe for understanding during activity. Provide positive reinforcement for correct scientific behavior and redirection for non-productive behaviors.Summative assessment - Review Science Ring artifact for evidence of understanding.
Reflections
(only done after lesson is enacted)Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency: